The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-30

OF vice. The characters OF the story are so
worthless, artistically and morally, that the
reader is spared all interest in their adven-
lures and misadventures. Even the climax,
when the injured husband murders his wife,
after an impossibly vulgar revenge upon her
lover-the situation fails to be impressive
With the malignity of Borgia and the calm
confidence of rural visitor at city hotel.
this new Othello proceeds to "put out the
light and then put out the life," by giving
his wife double dose of bromide of potas-
stun and leaving the gas turned on after the
flame is extinguished. Why pursue his vic
tim beyond the tomb, and leave her memory
under the imputation Of having blown out
the gas? The novel is so absurd that it is
difficult to speak of it with the serious con-
tempt that its caddish immortality merits.
New York: Benjamin f. Bell Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony
Tempest-Driven is the name of novel,
full of event and sensation, from the pen Of
Mr.. Richard Bowling. 1t is original and
strong, though not of exceptional literary
quality. There is long description of a
trsacherous cavern, with its horrible tidal
whirlpool, written powerfully, although it
contains passages too obviously modelled on
Victor Hugo, whose influence it is almost i'm
possible to avoid in describing the gigantic
malice of the sea and its creatures. The best
thing in the book is the bright and healthful
love making of Jerry and Madge, minor
characters indeed, but much more lifelike
than the tragic heroine and the men who did
good or evil for her sake. OF Tempest-Driv-
en- 1t may justly be said that although some
what sensational, it is clean and vigorous
story, and will interest the reader by its va
riety and its romance. (New York: d. APP
pleton il Co.; Portland: Loring, Short &
HARMONY
Charm and color and poetry are insepara-
Bile from the work Of Mrs. Louise Chandler
Moulton and her volume of social sketches,
grouped together under the name OF Our
selves and Our Neighbors, is no exception to
the rule. Her observation is quick and sym
pathetic; and she views society with the
sense of an expert in its facts and fctions.
1t is the custom of certain moralists-very
possibly themselves outside the magic cir
cle-to regard the etiquette of social life as
an elababorate system of sham and preten-
sion; whereas nearly every custom of society
has its origin in the gentle desire to do things
in the pleasantest and most courteous way.
There are passing mannerisms, of course,
which are entirely meaningless; but even
these arise from the wish to please, if by
nothing else, at least by novelty. And upon
such topics as Rosebuds in Society, Married
People in Society, the Small Coin of the So
cial Exchange, and dozen others, Mrs.
Moulton writes with equal grace anu wis
dom. The force and poetic elevation of her
thought is shown perhaps most clearly in the
final sketch of the volume, where she speaks
with noble energy concerning the fashion of
despair which pervades modern verse; 1t Is
true that the musical expression of sadness
finds ready response in the outspoken expe-
rience of most peoples hearts; indeed, we
might go farther and say that the soul de-
sires sadness now and then, as the eye longs
for darkness. But light and content are the
life of the body and mind; and the poets
who darken life with twilight of unrelieved
doubt do wrong to the world they were
meant to comfort. And what better and
more uplifting word has Poetry to say than
this: While sadness is common ~ III and
tragedy the lot Of many, tbs world is good
and moves with sie sun, and that grief is of
time but siadness eternal. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.)